Do you remember watching teen movies and thinking how the parents were either overbearing or complete deadbeats?
Funny how life throws you a plot twist.
If you're a parent revisiting these teen movies – like American Pie or Mrs. Doubtfire – you probably find yourself relating to the adult characters more and eye-rolling at the nagging teenagers, amirite?
Wondering if your favorite films resonate with you on a different level today, Redditor roix_ducat asked:
"What teen movie is the epitome of "the older I get, the more I agree with the adult?"
Sixteen Candles
"I watched Sixteen Candles recently and I now do not approve of Samantha going anywhere near Jake Ryan."
Juno
"The movie 'Juno.' Jennifer Garner's character is at first portrayed as a 'square.' then you realize she's a mature adult and her husband is a man-baby."
American Pie
"American Pie. As a new father, I hope to be like Jim's dad when my little one is a teenager. Caring, loving and a complete embarrassment to them."
Animated GIFGiphyDennis The Menace
"Mr. Wilson in Dennis the Menace. Seriously, f*ck that little miscreant and his parents that turn a blind eye to his shenanigans."
Lion King
"The Lion King."
"Oh I thought Zazu was just an old fun-killer. What do you mean, Simba can't be king? Why would you prevent the kids from going where they want?"
"As an adult and father, I'm 100% Team Zazu."
Ice Princess
"The mom in Ice Princess. So you have a daughter who has a talent for and seems to like physics and has a shot of getting into Harvard. This girl throws it away for ice skating where she has only been competing for less than a year, where if she gets injured she's done and when she reaches 30 she's pretty much done. There is no way she is at an olympic level at that point she would need years of training! Hell yes I would advise against it to!"
Charlie And The Chocolate Factory
"Gene Wilder in original Charlie and the Chocolate factory 'stop, don't... come back.'"
"I don't necessarily identify with him, but from the out I knew he was the good guy. Essentially he was a wrathful angel, smiting the wicked and rewarding the good...and Grandpa Joe, for some reason."
– pjabrony
Dirty Dancing
"In Dirty Dancing, Jerry Orbach just wanted a family summer vacation and instead learned entirely too much about his daughters' sex lives."
Rugrats
"Rugrats. The parents were so young and just doing their best. I like it was a group of neighbors that were best friends too. I get really stressed out on their behalf now. Especially the one where did i just wants to make it home before her banana tree she bought died in the car but no one could get their sh*t together."
Mrs. Doubtfire
"Mrs. Doubtfire. Miranda came home from work only to find her deadbeat husband hosting a party with wild animals in her home. During the divorce, he claimed he was unemployable. Then he dressed up like a woman with professional makeup/costume etc. and watched their kids secretly and tried to kill her new boyfriend!"
– kmaec87
Good Will Hunting
"Good Will Hunting."
"A great film to watch as a smug, witty underachiever, however genuinely smart & funny you might be (at least according to your friends)."
"But go back to it 15 or 20 years later, perhaps after losing your wife to cancer, and you'll freak out at this scene."
"Source: No idea how smart or funny I really used to be, but I was definitely smug. I married the person I'd been with since we were both 16. She died at 33."
"F'k cancer."
Twilight
"Twilight, poor Charlie Swan.."
– Liliarus
"Dude was trying so hard to connect with his daughter after years apart. At some point he must've realized she was only sticking around in Forks because of some guy, and not because she wanted to be there with her dad. That would sting, especially considering he was on his own."
Mean Girls
"The principal and teacher in Mean Girls."
"They were just trying to do their damn jobs."
– daver456
A Goofy Movie
"Just rewatched A Goofy Movie as an adult. Goofy just wanted to spend time with his kid. That was the whole conflict. Just go fishing with your dad, Max, you and Roxanne are breaking up before the sequel anyway."
"Edit: Since this comment is getting a lot of attention, I wanted to plug one more Disney film you all need to rewatch as adults: Recess The Movie. Principle Prickly legit had me in tears you guys."
10 Things I Hate About You
"10 Things I Hate About You. When the dad says 'you're 18, you don't know what you want. And you won't know what you want 'til you're 45, and even if you get it, you'll be too old to use it.'"
The Little Mermaid
"'But I love him daddy' No! You're 16. You're not completely changing yourself for a boy you just met."